Inaamulhaq: I want to explore more as an actor

Inaamulhaq, who is known for his performances in films like ‘Filmistaan’ and ‘Airlift’, was recently seen in a short film titled ‘Ab Rab Havale’. The actor has played his role to T, and recently we took a telephonic interview of him in which he spoke about the short film, his experience of working with senior actress like Farida Jalal, and many other things…

Was the film emotionally draining for you?

No, it was not emotionally draining for me. For me it was an actor’s exercise to put into that situation. I do every character with a different process. Sometimes my training from National School of Drama comes to use or sometimes it’s my basic instinct. You play a character, so when you go into that zone it affects a bit. But then I know that it’s acting, so it gets washed out.

How was the experience of working with a senior actress like Farida Jalal?

The experience was very good. She is a good human-being. For me more than being a good actor what matters is that the person should be a good human being. I have met a lot of people who are good actors, but they are not good human beings. But, I have also met people who are bad actors, but are good human beings, so I respect them more. And Farida ji no doubt is a very good human being. Though I was her bad son in the film, she treated me like a son only on the sets.

You have been a part of films like ‘Filmistaan’, ‘Airlift’ and ‘Ab Rab Havale’. Do you have any connection with partition/independence?

No, I don’t have any connection with partition, but I have a connection with migration. I used to stay in a small village, where my father was working in a government sector, and had a transferable job. Once we had to migrate to a city, from village. There’s a novel named ‘My Childhood by Maxim Gorky’. In that there’s a scene that happens with the protagonist and the same thing happened with me. Eventually, when I went to a drama school, and was reading that scene, I became quite emotional. When I came to the city from village, my friends were left behind. But, then I started going to village every day. Now I go once in a year and recollect those memories. However, when it comes to films, it has just happened co-incidentally.

You are a writer and have made short films. So, are you planning to direct a feature film?

Not now, but I plan to do it in future. I want to explore more as an actor and understand things, and then I will see. But, for now there’s no plan.

What would you like to say about the Pakistani artistes being banned in India?

When a person from India and a person from Pakistan meet in some other country, a place which is away from the boundaries both the countries, you will see how they meet and greet each other. There have also been instances that in a country where there is a Pakistani restaurant and an Indian eats there, they don’t charge any money. The fights are not at the human level. The fights are in newspapers and the governments. So, when it comes to artistes, they should be respected as artistes. We (Indians) also go in Hollywood and work, what if they say you are black and you can’t work here, so even we will feel bad. We have to understand that artistes don’t get bombs.